Serving tray



M. B. so LoMoN 2,107,744

SERVING TRAY Filed June 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Enventor Mamas B-SOLONQN Q, 1 Md item Feb. 8, 1938. M L M N 2,107,744

SERVING TRAY Filed June 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Summer mamsssommou u Q) Q ttor eg Patented Feb. 8 i938 PATENT OFFICE I SERVING TRAY Morris B. Solomon, New York, N. Y.

Application June 18,

1 Claim.

The present'invention relates to improvements ina serving tray and has for'an'object to provide' means for holding a receptacle in upright position regardless of the position of the'tray frame; I fAnother object is to provide a tray to carry a plurality of receptacles in upright position regardless of vthe position of the tray frame.

A' further object is to provideja tray which maybe carried in anyposition without tilting or spilling a receptacle carried by the tray.

;A still further object is to provide a tray with a 'frame such that it may be stood on either end or set on an inclined surface withou'tgtilting the 15 receptacles carriedby the tray. v

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tray made according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1-.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing the frame set on a tilted surface, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the tray showin it set on one end. I

The tray forming the subject of the present invention is designed particularly for use at sea where great difiiculty is experienced in carrying and serving liquids because of the rolling and pitching of the boat. In the form shown the tray is particularly applicable to the serving, for example, of cocktails or other beverages in a large container and a number of smaller individual containers. In addition to the use on boats the tray has general application wherever it may be desirable to have a carrying device which may be set at any angle and which may be carried with the minimum of care while preventing the spilling of liquids carried. Referring now to the drawings, a pair of spaced rings I0 is provided with diametrically mounted end rails H which extend outbeyond the circumference of the rings. At suitable points these rails are connected one to another by side pieces l2. The side pieces are attached to the end rails 1936, Serial No. 85,825

ll within the circumference of the rings l0 and are spaced apart sufficiently to carry therebetween a receptacle holding frame. The receptacle holding frame is composed of a pair of sectors I3 secured to the upper portions of the side pieces 12 at approximately the mid point between the rings I0. In the sectors I3 is pivoted a ring [4 whichis free to revolve about pivots l5. A second ring. I6, is pivoted within ring l4 freely to revolve about an axis at right angles to the axis of the ring M. The ring I6 is proportioned to receive, in this embodiment of the invention, a large lreceptacle such as the cocktail shaker I1. The size of the ring is such that the greater. mass of the cocktail shaker I1 hangs. below the ring so that by gravity the shaker tends to hang in a vertical position regardless of the position of the rings l0 and other frame members.

Between the outer ends of the end rails H are pivoted sub-frames l8 which are free to revolve about their pivots I9 on axes longitudinal of the tray. Within the sub-frames l8 at suitably spaced intervals are placed receptacle holding rings 20 pivoted to opposite sides of the subframes l8 so as to freely revolve about axes at right angles to the axes of the sub-frames I8. These rings 20 are adapted in the device shown to carry a service of glasses 2| and are of such a size to permit the greater mass of each glass to hang below the axes of rotation of its ring so as to tend by gravity always to hang in a vertical position. The pivots 22 of the rings 20 are placed in the side rails of the sub-frame and are attached to the rings at diametrically opposite points thus providing an attachment on the axis of balance of each ring. The end pivots l9 of each of the sub-frames l8 are likewise attached to points on the center of balance of the subframe. In order to prevent rolling of the rings I0 when the tray is set on a flat surface each ring is provided with a pair of spaced feet 23.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, it will be noted that the spacing of the rings 2|] is such as to permit complete rotation about the pivots 22 when each ring contains a glass 2|, the distance being such as to provide clearance at all points during rotation.

From the structure above described it will be seen to follow that the tray may be tilted to an angle such as shown in Figure 5 without disturbing the upright position of the vessels carried thereby. In this figure the tray is shown as set on a slanted surface, for example, a table which is rocked by the motion of a boat. In this posi tion the cocktail shaker ring l6 revolves about its pivots- 24 while the shaker l1 itself remains upright.

The sub-frames H! with the glasses 2| .revolve about their end pivots IS without moving the glasses from their upright position.

As shown in Figure 6 the tray may be set upright on the side of one of the rings I without disturbing the position of the glasses or cocktail shaker. In this position the ring l4 revolves about its pivots [5 to permit the shaker IT to lie longitudinally of the tray frame. Also, the glasses 2! in the rings 20 have revolved about their pivots 22 so that the glasses lie in the lon- 3 gitudinal plane of the tray.

It will likewise be apparent from Figure 6 that the tray filled with the shaker and glasses may be carried by means of the upper ring H). 'It is also possible to swing the tray while holding it in this position without causing any disturbance of the contents of the various receptacles. It is impossible, therefore, tospill the contents of this tray by tilting or swinging, and in addition to this, the tray may be completely revolved about a transverseaxis without spilling any of the contents:

The size of the various rings as well as'their shape may be varied to receive various types of receptacles designed to be carried in the tray.

; The requirement being'that they should hold the receptacle with its greater mass below the axis of rotation of the rings. Likewise the number and arrangement of the rings maybe varied to suit the particular conditions.

The form of the end pieces of the tray is not limited to rings ID as shown but any suitable end piece may be substituted. The rings are A serving trayicomprising a carrying frame including a pair of spaced members, each of which is provided with supporting feet, end rails supported by each of said members, a pair of bars connecting the two end rails, two freely revolving concentric rings, an upwardly extending arcuate bar carried by each of said pair of bars, the outer ring being pivotally connected with said arcuate bars and the inner ring being pivotally connected with the outer ring, said inner ring being adapted to hold a container, a holder frame pivotally connected with said end rails, and a plurality of receptacle holders pivotally connected with said holder frame, whereby a container placed within the inner concentric'ring and receptacles placed within the receptacle holders in the holder frame will revolve freely and remain upright when the carrying frame is in any position from the vertical to the horizontal, and while the tray is supported by the supporting feet of the carrying frame, or rests upon the full surface of one of the-spaced members of the carrying frame, said arcuate. bars support-9 ing said container laterally of said pair of bars when the tray rests on one of the spaced members.

MORRIS B. SOLOMON. 

